Learning sector benefits packages slide further
Almost all employee benefits packages dropped in 2014, says survey.
Employees’ benefits packages reduced in size last year, according to Blue Eskimo’s latest work and salary survey. Blue Eskimo’s survey is the most accurate, comprehensive study of pay, benefits and attitudes to work in the learning sector.
The survey takes in all parts of the industry, including L&D, IT training, e-learning, soft-skills training, education and learning software development – including people from commercial learning providers and corporate learning departments. Those responding to the survey came roughly two thirds from the private sector and one third from the public sector.
According to Blue Eskimo director Nick Bate, the only benefit to not have been reduced is the contribution to a personal pension. “And that grew only very slightly,” said Bate. “All other benefits – including company pension, sick pay, bonus schemes, life assurance, illness cover, share options, car and car allowance – fell.”
Those enjoying a company car halved, while other benefits reduced by smaller amounts – “mostly a drop of around a few per cent or so”, said Bate.
The annual survey asks around twenty-five detailed questions on many topics related to work, pay, benefits and work/life balance.
“Of course,” said Bate, “the questions most people always want answered relate to pay or benefits.” The survey also found that almost two thirds of those working in the sector are looking for a new job this year. “It’s hard to not see the connection between this and sliding benefits, combined with mostly static pay,” concluded Bate.
The full results of the survey can be downloaded, free of charge, from Blue Eskimo’s website.
Blue Eskimo will be exhibiting at the Learning Technologies exhibition on 28–29 January, at Olympia Central, in London. Those attending can meet the team on stand 12 – and chat about the results of the survey.